Report: Hazards remain in former mining area

LANSING (AP) ó A state report says physical hazards remain in the former copper mining region of Michiganís western Upper Peninsula.

The Michigan Department of Community Health says Tuesday it has finished two reports about public health conditions in and around the Torch Lake Superfund site in Houghton County and Keweenaw County. The site was polluted with waste rock during mining operations from the 1890s to 1960s.

The reports include responses to questions raised during a public comment period last year.

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One describes physical hazards remaining from mining activities and recommends removing them or restricting access.

The other deals with potential chemical exposure from municipal and private drinking water. It says municipal water is safe and meets applicable standards and regulations, but there isnít enough information about chemical levels in some private wells.